Hey y'all,
I mentioned in one of my last posts that I was travelling to North Carolina to visit a surgeon for my shoulder. I didn't go in with high hopes because if you don't have them in the first place you can't be disappointed. I have good news. I left with a smile on my face which honestly hasn't happened in awhile.
I spent 2 and a half hours at the doctors office. Only 20 minutes of that was in the waiting room. I call this a feat. The nurse was extremely nice and even made a joke about putting on a "very fashionable gown." I then went to take x-rays, in which they asked all the important things like when my last period was and if there is any chance I could be pregnant. They put the lead shield over my ovaries, which is great. Even though I won't be needing them, I still don't want ovarian cancer caused by too much radiation. I then went back to my room and the doctor then came in with a laptop. He introduced himself. Showed me my x-rays and did an extensive examination moving my shoulder and arm around while feeling my clavicle. He was able to feel it coming out of place each time he moved my arm. He then asked why my shoulder hasn't been fixed yet (it's been almost a year) because this is a miserable injury. I gave him an answer and he said oh well, I am going to fix it. He discussed the procedure he wants to do which is drilling 2 holes in my clavicle and weave some "stuff" through it and wrap it around to hold it down and graft some ligaments to my clavicle and shoulder. I have a more scientific explanation but oh well. There may be a problem with this procedure with my bone not being thick enough since I have already had part of this bone removed when they removed the tumor from it 5 years ago. If that is the case they will add a metal hook plate to my clavicle instead of drilling holes through it. They will still graft ligaments to it to hold it in place. I said sounds great. He said he just wants to take a few more xrays and run a ct scan to see how thick the bone is to plan the route he will be taking. I went for the xrays and came back. He told me to choose a surgery date. I said December, and bam! I will be having surgery December 17!!! WOOOT WOOT! He then sent his PA in to discuss the procedure with me more and to have me read and sign my risks and procedure form. His nurse then came in to give me my ct prescription and some forms to take to various doctors to sign for surgery clearance.
So with all this being said I have to meet with 3 doctors to get their clearance for surgery and have a ct scan then December 17, I will be cut open and my shoulder will be reconstructed. It is actually an out-patient surgery but I have to stay in NC for a couple days to make sure my body doesn't reject the grafts and that I am in stable enough condition to make my 2-3 day travel home since I won't be able to do it all in one day. If all goes as planned I will be getting home on Christmas eve. (For those of you getting me Christmas presents please be nice and put them in a bag seeing that I will only have one arm to open them.)
Risks of this surgery include the normal: infection, failure, allergic reactions, blood clots, limb loss, paralysis, and death. Specific to this surgery: ligament grafts won't take and/or my body can reject them, and broken clavicle. There was actually 2 full paragraphs of this stuff but I can't remember it all and I am willing to take all risks.
After the surgery: I will be in a pillow sling for 6 weeks not being able to move my shoulder at all, only my hand and I can extend my elbow twice a day so it won't lock up. I will not be allowed to drive for 6 weeks too. I will then start therapy after the 6 weeks to get back some movement in my shoulder. (I will never have 100 percent range of motion.) My dad was nice enough to remind me how much pain I will be in. I didn't even think about the pain after surgery until he brought it up. I have had 19 surgeries and the most painful one was the previous one I had on this same shoulder. The pain will be the same since it deals with more than just bones. Let me try to explain how much pain it will be based on past experience. Have you ever had a broken bone? I will have similar pain to this but just amplified since they are drilling holes in my bones. Ever pulled all your muscles in your back? Well, this pain will be like that seeing that there are many muscles connected to your clavicle and shoulder. Ever had rotator cuff surgery? They will also be cleaning up damage I have in that area so same amount of pain. Now just add all this pain together and the general pain of being cut wide open (about a 4-6in incision) and that is about the amount of pain I will be in. I will not complain about this pain I will just sit there and cry when I have other people wash my hair for me. I will live at my parents house for the first couple weeks after surgery then I will go back to my own house when school starts back.
I was so excited to get home to write this. There are good doctors out there, it just takes a lot of work finding them. I would like to take this time to thank my mom for finding the doctor and going with me to the appointment, and I can't leave my dad out in case he ever decides to read these. Thanks for watching my fur baby while I was gone.
Bye!
This is an x-ray of my shoulder. Take notice of the clavicle (the collar bone) and how short it is and how it isn't connect to the shoulder like it should be. If you cant see this google a normal x-ray. I also see 2 tumors on my ribs and my arm is bowed but those things aren't bothering me right now so all is good.
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